The Cradle Will Fall
by Sarah August
Summary: Klaus has kidnapped Elena promising her the life she should have lived. Elena begins to wonder if that isn't such a bad idea. Will Elijah and the Salvatores be able to save her before Esther's new plan destroys them all? Part 2 of Into the Woods. Part 2 of 3.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **The Cradle Will Fall

**Summary: **A continuation of Into The Woods. Klaus has taken Elena away from Mystic Falls, fearing what his mother will do next. Esther has raised a new vampire hunter, Jeremy Gilbert. Elijah must try to protect his family and find a way to stop Klaus from going through with his plans for Elena. It will come down to protecting one or the other.

**Author: **Sarah August

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries.

**Chapter 1**

"Where have you taken me?"

Klaus took a moment to meet the gaze of the doppelganger. She truly was a pretty little thing, but she was not of his taste. He could see Elijah's interest in her. This one was much more like Tatia than Katerina ever was. She had kindness mixed with her determination to help those that mattered to her. Katerina, although like Tatia in every way, was selfish, manipulative, and had prayed upon a very love sick Elijah with little care.

His brother hadn't so much fallen in love with Katerina, but Elijah had still been lost to the memory of Tatia. It had laid ruin to the only long term relationship he ever had with a woman, their brother Finn's former love, Marie, better known as Sage for the last several hundred years. Elijah had preferred distancing himself from women after the disastrous end to his relationship with Sage. He still involved himself, but nothing that went past a moment in the bedroom.

This little doppelganger seemed to convince his brother otherwise. While happy that Elijah was finally loosening up after so many eras alone, Klaus did not appreciate that he was involving himself with the only blood supply he had for new hybrids.

Elijah could not help Elena continue her family blood line, meaning he could not give support to any real future that Elijah might have in mind for himself and Elena. He would only distract her from having a real human life. He might even make her a vampire if ever faced with the possibility of losing her.

If Elijah sought them out, Klaus would have to make it clear that he could not be with Elena forever. He had other plans for her.

"To a house in Virginia, far from Mystic Falls," Klaus spoke reassuring, slamming a box of furniture onto a near by desk. "Your Salvatore's won't even find us here."

Elena blinked as if he had slapped her.

"Oh, don't worry love," Klaus said, walking towards her. "I will not lay harm to one hair on that pretty little head of yours. I want us to have a long future together, Elena. You have to get on with your life, away from those mass of vampires in Mystic Falls."

"What do you intend to do with me then?"

"I'm going to make you forget everything, Elena, that might get in the way of your future. You need to let go of your feelings for the Salvatore's, and you need to get as far away from my brother as you possibly can."

"When are you going to do this?" Elena pressed, trying to find out more information.

"Oh, don't even think about running away, Elena. I have already compelled you..."

"How? I drink..."

"I bled you, the old fashioned way," Klaus sneered. Elena touched her neck, feeling dried blood there, nothing more. "You don't live for as long as I have Elena without knowing those little tricks."

Klaus then approached her, motioning her to walk ahead of him. "Come. I will introduce you to my maid, Yvette. She will help you clean up, get you new clothes, and something to eat."

Elena hesitated. "How is my brother?" She asked shakily, praying that Klaus would at least be kind enough to tell her that much.

"I don't have your brother, Elena," Klaus admitted gently. "But my mother has _big plans_ for him. He's her new puppet. She made him a vampire like my siblings, and he's hunting my entire family."

Elena blinked back tears. It hurt more than she had ever imagined it would to know that Jeremy was gone too. A vampire hunter, bent on taking away those remaining that she cared about.

"You'll thank me when this is over, Elena. It all won't matter anymore."

Wordlessly, defeated, Elena lead the way to the kitchens as Klaus motioned the way along.

Elena could only think that maybe Klaus was right. Maybe it was for the best that she forget everything. The pain was becoming too much to bare.

* * *

"How the hell do you let yourself get staked?"

Stefan groaned as Damon fluffed his pillows by smacking him up side his head while he lay in bed. "I never let myself get staked, Klaus staked me..."

"And _stole_ Elena," Damon snapped, his tone dangerous.

"Damon, we need to find Elijah... he's the only one that might be able to get her back..."

"So you can be with your _girlfriend_?" sneered the older brother. Damon had loved Elena for the longest time. Since Elena still hadn't chosen him, he guessed that meant that Elena had gone to Stefan to tell him he was her choice.

"Elena didn't choose me, Damon. She didn't pick either of us..."

"What?" Damon seemed utterly at a loss now. It was always going to be one of them. Elena couldn't just make up her damn mind, finally choosing one of them. "Who did she pick then?" Damon nearly growled after a long silence.

"Elena... she wants to be with _Elijah_..." Stefan continued as his chest began to slowly heal. "But we can't just leave her to Klaus. He wants her to continue her_ blood line_..."

"What about the new _psycho_ vampire hunter that is Jeremy Gilbert?" Damon argued, still hating the idea about going after the girl that didn't want either of them now. "He'll be tracking the originals... and you want to go chasing down the one he wants to kill the most?"

"We can't just leave her... find _Elijah_..." Stefan insisted. "Damon, you know you still love her. You don't want that kind of life for her anymore than I do. We need to save_ her._.."

"Awe, hell, fine," snapped Damon, tossing a blood bag at his brother. "But I'm going to tell her what I think of her with _Elijah_ when I find her..."

"I had no doubt," agreed Stefan, simply happy that Damon had given in.

Stefan knew that Damon loved Elena more than his own hurt pride. He'd find her, simply for the chance to give her a peace of his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Your baby sister said I could find you up here," said Damon, taking in the view of the massive bedroom that belonged to Elijah inside the Mikaelson mansion.

Elijah continued packing, pausing only briefly to look at Damon. "Yes, Rebekah refused to leave with Niklaus upon learning he was taking Elena away with him. She is getting ready to leave to find Kol and Finn to warn them about Jeremy Gilbert."

"Do you know where she is?" Damon asked softly after another long silence.

"Yes," Elijah admitted, rather reluctantly. "Niklaus guessed that I would have the intention of joining them, so he let Rebekah know where they were going. I plan to go there as soon as I leave this place."

"Mind if I travel along?" Damon asked, surprising him.

"Damon, this is not a trip where Elena will be recovered from my brother," Elijah said softly, stunning the younger vampire.

"What are you saying? You're not going there to save her?" Damon was appalled.

"My deal with my brother was that I could go with them, not save her, Damon," Elijah said, sounding like a teacher correcting a student. "I will protect Elena and ensure my brother does not complete his plans for her."

"This all comes back to that _damn_ family of yours, doesn't it?" Damon spat accusingly. "Does Elena know that you're ready to leave her to the dogs to keep things merry with your murderer of a brother?"

"Klaus can be controlled..."

"It won't matter because Elena will be dead," Damon snapped. "Do you really think she'll go along with it all to keep the peace in your family? What's he going to do to her, Elijah, when she refuses him?"

"_Enough_!" Elijah spoke, deadly quiet. "Mr. Salvatore, I have not asked you for your advice, or for your permission to do anything. I _do_ suggest you stay out of my family's business, which now includes Elena, if you know what is good for you. You should know that my brother is not a patient man. He will not tolerate a young, _know-it-all _vampire telling him what to do. Now, _leave_!"

Damon left, enraged. Elijah sighed tiredly, knowing it would not be the last time they heard from the Salvatore brothers.

* * *

"So, Yvette, do you have that fancy little spell ready for me?"

"You do realize that if he ever finds out, Elijah is going to kill you," the witch said, clearly against his plan.

"My brother will be here soon, and then get ready to work your little spell to switch us," Klaus insisted, ignoring her warning.

"This spell is different, Niklaus. It has never worked right this way. You won't have complete control over him."

"I only need him for a little while," Klaus argued softly, trying to justify the cruelty of his plan. "Elena will not accept me, but she will accept my brother. And then he'll convince her to give into my plans. She won't want anything more to do with him."

"This is so wrong, Niklaus," the witch went on. "You will regret doing this. There are consequences..."

"Just get on with it," the hybrid finally snapped. "I'll go await my brother."

* * *

"What took you so long?"

Elijah sighed warily, removing his jacket as he stepped into one of Klaus's many hideaway places through out the country. "I had to convince our sister that it might be best that she stay away from us for awhile. She'll not like hearing that you plan to continue the blood line of the doppelganger."

"So you will honestly accept my plans for Elena and not try to stop me?" countered Klaus swiftly, not trusting how agreeable Elijah was being when it came to his plans for Elena.

"You cannot breed with her yourself, Niklaus," Elijah said with annoyance. "Mother saw to that a 1000 years ago, so what are you really up too?"

"You're going to help me out there, mate," beamed his brother. "Yvette!"

The witch appeared, and Elijah dropped to his knees in pain, followed by Klaus. "What the hell are you doing?" Klaus raged through the agony he was in. Elijah had passed out almost instantly.

"I told you that this wouldn't work right, Klaus," said the witch. It was the last thing she said before she vanished into thin air.

The pain suddenly stopped and Klaus gasped in shock upon realizing what the witch had done. He was breathing, and his heart beat sounded wildly in his ears. He then passed out entirely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The cries could be heard though out the large house that Klaus had brought them too. They rang through Elena's bedroom, waking her. Yvette told her to sleep, so she had. It had made sense to sleep, although she hadn't been tired. It had been a dreamless sleep. One now disturbed by bone chilling screams.

Elena ran from her bedroom as if the cries themselves had been chasing her. She had the overwhelming feeling to leave this place and never return. There was also something she had to remember too, but she couldn't recall what it was. It was very important that she remember it, and it felt as if her heart was breaking over the fact that she couldn't.

She nearly fell down the stairs that seemed to lead to an exit, but regained her balance at the last second, continuing to hurry without stopping.

Elena spotted the doors and hurried to them, but a sight caught her eyes that froze her in her tracks at the last second. She turned around, her long hair wild about her shoulders. Twenty feet behind her lay a man on the floor, unconscious. He had short, finely cropped dark hair that lay matted in dried blood. His back was facing towards her. He wore fine looking dress clothes, which were now rumpled from what appeared to be a terrible fall.

Beside this man was another. He had thick, short, curly blond hair. Also dressed in fine clothes, but his face appeared to show great agony. This man was also unconscious.

Not knowing who to help first, Elena picked the dark haired man who was closest to her. She fought to get one arm underneath him, and used her other arm to help turn him, slowly, in her embrace. She could just manage his weight against her.

His face was absolutely familiar, but Elena failed to recognize him. The man had a lovely chiseled look about him, one she couldn't help but get a good look at. "Hello?" Elena said softly. The man stirred in her arms. "Can you hear me?"

Elena heard him whisper her name, which she found to be very strange. Did this man know her? "What is this place?" She asked him, trying to mask her fear of this man who seemed to know her, but she didn't know him. Elena had no idea of where she was or why she was here.

"_Elena_..." He half moaned, his eyes fluttering. "Get out of here... something isn't right..."

"What isn't right?" Elena pressed carefully. "Do you know me?"

Elijah then finally focused on the girl who was holding him. He forced himself to sit up, and then finally stand without Elena helping him. "Elena, where is _Niklaus_?" He asked her. His tone raspy.

"Is that... is that him?" She stuttered, pointing to the other man on the floor in behind them.

Elijah instead turned to her and helped her to her feet. Elena seemed to stand too quickly and fell into his arms. Elijah then was overcome by the scent of her blood. He breathed deeply, not letting her go when she struggled to get away. "Hey..." She tried to pull away again, this time ripping the left arm of the blue sweater she'd been wearing.

Elijah then forced her closer still, making Elena wince. "You smell _so... damn... good_..." He professed against her ear like a whisper, frightening her and confusing her all at once.

Before she had time to think, he yanked her flush up against him, her back pressed into his chest. Elena nearly cried out, but he distracted her with a touch to her arm where her skin was exposed through the sweater. It made her gasp out loud, her thoughts now blind to the fact he told her to run mere moments ago. Elena didn't want to run anywhere, go anywhere. She wanted to be right here. Right now.

A strong hand suddenly to her left hip, pulling her closer still. The feel of how hard he was, hard everywhere it seemed, made her moan out loud, breathless. "I... simply..." He continued his sweet confession at her expense. "Must... have... you."

Her long hair was whipped to her side, exposing her neck. Elena's eyes flew open when he took the time to explore it with his lips, then smiling when another hand found her other hip. Keeping her still, he turned her in his arms, he hoisted her up, forcing her legs around his hips before kissing her deeply, exploring her mouth with his. A taste of blood between them. She did not even feel it when he bit her lips again, taking more.

Opening her eyes, Elena realized they moved to another room. Books layered the desk they were pressed upon. Clothes ripped away, exposing the necessary. He entered her fast, but taking a deliciously slow pace.

The smell of blood and dust stole away all thoughts to the unconscious man in the other room. Elena stared up at the man moving above her. Somehow it did not even matter when she saw yellow eyes locked into her blurred, hazy gaze.

The feel of sharp teeth exposing flesh was the final sensation that Elena could recall before drifting into a pleasant, but dreamless, familiar slumber.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Klaus moved in the bed upon feeling a slim, firm body pressed into his. A mess of long, dark hair spilled over the pillows and he was taken back immediately to another time and place. The same hair, the same body, the same face... but it wasn't her.

He shook slightly upon realizing that he felt different than before. The spell had worked, he had felt the change. But something was different.

The spell had been intended to allow him to claim Elijah's body for his own. The Salvatore's and their friends would like the chance to kill not only himself, but his entire family. But they were less likely to kill his brother if given the chance to kill himself instead. And being Elijah, the original that this little doppelganger favoured above the rest of his family, would be only added protection. The Salvatore's would never purposely do anything to cross this girl. They were too desirous of her to do anything that might ruin each of their chances with her.

The spell did go wrong, however. He had to fight Elijah for control. The little doppelganger had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, however, and had been on the receiving end of Elijah's fight for control over himself. His never ending denial of his passion for this girl had been his undoing last night. He no longer had been able to control himself of his lust for her, and fight off his brother as well at the same time.

The doppelganger seemed not to mind though once things had progressed. Klaus did not recall everything from last nights events, but he believed his brother had enjoyed taking the girl to bed.

Klaus rose up from the bed, dressing quickly, wanting to avoid Elena for as long as possible. He knew the girl seemed not to know who he was, but he had to be careful and learn just how far the spell had worked with her.

He moved to leave the room, dressed in a simple blue dress shirt and black pants, and sought out his brother.

Klaus barely had time to exit the bedroom before being slammed into the wall behind him by his neck. "What did you do, _Niklaus_?" growled the man who now lived inside of his former self.

"_Elijah_, I'm surprised you're still awake," spat Klaus sarcastically. "The witch told me you'd have no control over my body..."

"This is different..." rasped Elijah, releasing his brother. "You did something... different..."

"Elijah..." called Klaus, easing his brother to the floor as he lost his balance.

Klaus then abruptly released Elijah, stunned, upon looking into his brothers eyes and seeing something quite different there looking back at him. Klaus suddenly felt very speechless and frightened by what looked back.

In the eyes of his own self, now the eyes of his brother Elijah, stared the eyes of the werewolf, looking back at Klaus.

Klaus then understood what the witch had meant by consequences. He had jumped bodies like he had wanted, but he was now living inside the body of a vampire, while his brother now lived within a body that was still both: vampire and werewolf. Meaning his brother now had the means to destroy him if he so wished it.

* * *

"_I love you, Elena... I know that I don't deserve you, but my brother does..." _

Elena blinked awake, still hearing the man's voice inside of her head. He loved her, he told her that he loved her and her heart had ached for him. They would never be together because there was someone else and it had hurt so much to admit that.

He had thick, wild strait hair and the most beautiful blue eyes... but he hadn't been the man who had just taken her into his bed... Elena fought to get out of bed and to her feet.

She could still hear the man in her dreams and she had felt for him, but where was he? Who was he? And who was the man who she had just allowed to seduce her into bed?

"_I'm Stefan... I'm Elena..."_

Elena shuttered at the memory, still so confused. Stefan. She knew that name, who he was... Stefan... he was her boyfriend, wasn't he?

Elena fell to the floor, no longer being able to stand up. Stefan was her boyfriend, but there was a terrible secret that was between them. It hurt to try and think more about it all.

His brother loved her, but he too had a terrible secret. What was it?

"_Human..." _Whispered the exquisitely beautiful man with bronzed skin. "_Impossible_..."

Elena's eyes shot open and then she remembered it all. Elijah had kidnapped her and was going to take her to his brother Klaus. He was going to kill her...

If only Stefan and Damon would come for her soon.

She suddenly missed them more than words could possibly say.

Finding her clothes, she dressed, hoping to get the hell out of here.

Elena moved and opened the door, preparing to run, but her way was blocked. There stood a tall man with curly blond hair and chiseled looks. His eyes full of concern.

"Where's _Elijah_?" Elena insisted, fighting back a fresh wave of fear. She gasped when he walked towards her.

"Elena, things have become quite complicated..." started the man. "I don't know what you remember, but my brother is here..."

"You mean Elijah...?" said Elena nervously. "So you're him... you're Klaus..."

"Elena, my brother has very powerful friends... You must believe me, although you have no reason too... it is _me_... Klaus had a witch take my body for his own use... he believes it will protect him from your friends hunting him... I need to find a way to make the change back... I will need your assistance in this matter..."

"I can't..." Elena said quickly, her eyes filling with tears. "You kidnapped me... you took me from my friends... why should I help you?" Elena then said strongly. "You took me here... and you took me to bed... it was like a dream, or some crazy nightmare, I don't know which..."

"Elena, I cannot explain away my actions... while I was not entirely in control, I also was very much in control of my actions... I cannot begin to right what I have done, however, I believed we were past some things... I did have Trevor and Rose bring you to me... but that was some time ago... over a year ago, to be precise... " Elijah rounded on Elena slowly, wanting to keep her inside this room. "Are you having difficulties with your memory, Elena?"

Elena looked at him accusingly. "I was fine, before you took me. I want to go home... my aunt is going to be worried sick about me... I can't do this to her... not after what happened to my parents... please, let me go..." She finished weakly, defeated.

"I cannot ever let you go, Elena," Elijah replied softly, hating to see the devastation his words brought to her face. "At least not until you remember everything... Now, how about we get into contact with your friend, Bonnie..."

"No, I won't let you trap my friends into this..." cried Elena, moving away when he tried to advance again.

"You have no choice but to listen to me, Elena..." countered Elijah, moving fast towards her now, capturing her with his hands while she fought against him. "I only can hope you'll forgive me this..." He then whispered, capturing her face with his hands. _"You'll sit on the bed and wait for me to get you a phone to call your friend Bonnie..." _said Elijah, compelling her.

"I'll wait here," confirmed Elena willingly, letting Elijah sit her down on the bed. With cool blue eyes, he watched her regretfully so, before leaving the room to get Elena that phone. He rubbed his hand through blond curls once, sighing as he left. He could only hope that this worked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"_Okay_, let me get this strait... _Elijah_, the _big bad_ original, that _needs no help_, suddenly wants to kiss our asses because his _big bad little brother original _stole his body and is taking it for a walk?" Damon hissed sarcastically.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger," insisted Bonnie. "But that's what Elena said..."

"She's still with _him_?" growled Damon outrageously.

"Damon, it's not our place..." began Stefan, sitting on the sofa inside the Salvatore living room. "Elena didn't want either of us... we need to accept that and help her now..."

"Why should I?" Damon spat, still pissed off with Elena. "She never even had the nerve to tell me to my face, Stefan. I found out about her and Elijah_ through you_..."

"That should be telling you Damon that she cares about you, but it was never going to be anything more than that. Let_ it go_ and remember that Elena was always your friend first... don't hate her for not returning your feelings..."

Bonnie watched the Salvatore brothers carefully, deciding not to tell them that Elena had no memory of the last year. Meaning that it might change things as far as Elena's romantic future was concerned. She still believed that Stefan was her boyfriend... She tried not to recall the obvious pain in Elijah's voice when he had confessed it to her. It had been so strange to hear that coming from Klaus... Klaus was Elijah now... but it was so hard to separate the two.

Bonnie wondered if Elena could if she remembered her time with Elijah over the last year and all the terrible things that both original brothers had been responsible for.

Elijah said he intended to tell Elena everything right away until she had mentioned being worried for her aunt Jenna. Elena still believed that Jenna was alive... that John was alive... and thanks to Klaus and his tricks, her friend would have to face all of that, all over again.

"We'd better tell Alaric," said Stefan, hoping this approach would work with his brother. "So, you'll help, Elijah, Bonnie?" asked Stefan.

"I said I would... we're to meet him at the Mikaelson mansion... he said Klaus ran off somewhere when he realized what happened..."

"So..." began Damon, catching on. "We just have to dagger him and then we have no more Klaus...?"

"Exactly..." said Stefan.

Damon smiled. Maybe they could rid of two originals with one stone.

* * *

Elijah returned to Elena after returning the cell phone to the office down stairs. She still looked upset and very frightened. He dressed in one of his familiar suits that were still here inside his bedroom. It fit but for the jacket. Klaus was wider across the shoulders than himself.

"What do you intend by keeping me here?" Elena demanded suddenly, looking across to Elijah from the chair he set himself inside of. He hoped it made her feel less frightened of him. He was thrown by the question.

Klaus had taken Elena with the intention of having his human blood bag near by where he could personally look after her. He had also wanted her to forget the ties that held her to her life in Mystic Falls, and in hopes that Elena would be accepting of such a life eventually. He had no other interest in Elena then that. His sleeping with her had been all himself.

Klaus had no interest in either doppelganger, Katerina or Elena, that went beyond their blood and what they could do for him. Klaus had first given that impression to Katerina, however, to draw her in and gain her trust.

Why was he still keeping Elena here? Elijah immediately thought of saying leverage. With Klaus and keeping the Salvatore's at bay. But it wasn't for either of those reasons. He truly, simply, never wanted to let her go. He didn't want to risk losing her or seeing her come to harm. Elijah hated that Klaus had robbed Elena of her memories of the last year. It put them right back to the beginning, where she saw him as a threat, something to fear and hide from.

"I'm keeping you here because I don't want to lose you, Elena. I want to help you regain your memories of the last year..."

"Why?" She insisted, still not trusting him. "Why do you talk like that... _you don't want to lose me_..." She repeated sarcastically. There was a hint of belief in her voice though. Elijah decided to press on.

"You don't entirely question my words, Elena," Elijah stated simply. "Stop pretending that you don't believe me..." He challenged her.

"You're crazy... of course I don't believe you!" She replied, furious with him.

"Yet you feel as if you can trust me... ask yourself why is that..."

"No," Elena spat, upset, looking away from his daring gaze.

"Are you afraid of admitting how you feel, Elena..."

That got him a hard look. He smiled at her. "I don't feel anything for you... I hate you and your entire family..."

"You just admitted to hating me... you have to feel something in order to hate me, Elena..."

He then rose up and walked towards her slowly. Elena did not move, holding his gaze with her own. Her face softened upon seeing that there was no malice in his face. Just a distant, heartbreaking look behind very tired eyes that drew her in. Elijah reached for her hand, pulling her up to her feet. He held onto her hand, refusing to look away from those demanding eyes of hers. She had to trust him. If she could it would be a start.

Elijah moved, kissing the inside of her wrist, slowly raising it up to the side of his face, trying to remember her touch forever. Elena seemed memorized by his loving touch. She did not recoil.

If she could not remember him personally of the last year, maybe he could get her to remember how she felt about him. He did not know what he would do if at the end of this she returned to the Salvatore's, forgetting him. Elijah loved her so much he knew he couldn't accept losing her to someone else. Not when he knew she returned his feelings for him. Well, when she could remember him, she did.

Elijah finally looked into her eyes, still holding her hand. He put himself on display for her, trying to will her to remember that although he was not in his own body, he was still the same man when it came to her.

He moved to kiss her, knowing it was now or never. Their lips connected and she sighed, holding on to him.

Elijah released her after a long moment, withdrawing completely from her. "I know that you have no reason to believe me, Elena... but this... our connection... it will never be taken from us... I will look after you, Elena. But I can't let you go until you remember everything he took away from you. When you do, you'll understand why I'm doing this to you now..."

Elijah then turned to leave the room. "I'll let you know when supper is ready..."

She merely nodded, fighting back a wave of tears. She was not upset by what he had said to her, but Elena was upset by what she was feeling. She did not understand her feelings for him, but at least they were still there.

That meant that Elijah still had hope.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The Salvatore's stood in the front entrance way to the Mikaelson mansion, followed by Bonnie, sizing up the original that claimed to be Elijah, despite baring the face of their worst enemy, Klaus. "Please, do come in, gentleman," said Elijah, stepping aside so Damon and Stefan could enter the mansion.

"Where's Elena?" asked Damon right away.

"Elena is here and she is safe," replied Elijah, leading the way into the living room area of the mansion. He motioned for the Salvatore's to sit on the sofa and he sat across from them. Bonnie sat down in a chair across from them all, her dark eyes full of concern and worry for her missing friend. "I will allow Bonnie to see Elena, but not the two of you," continued Elijah.

"Why not?" Damon spat, upset and again, outraged by Elijah's orders.

"Because, Damon, I don't want the two of you saying anything that will upset her. Elena has been robbed of her memories of the last year. She still believes that her aunt Jenna and John Gilbert are still alive. I don't trust you or your brother not to say anything that will reveal the truth to her before she is ready to face it."

Bonnie jumped in, quickly realizing that Damon would be of no help in this and might even drive Elijah into getting help with another witch, which would rob them of any chance of getting Elena away from Elijah and his family. "What can I do to help fix this?" The witch asked the original.

"I need you to reverse the spell that Klaus's witch cast on my self and Elena. While the spell allowed Klaus to steal my body, he did not gain the abilities of being a hybrid with it. Right now, he is a vampire and there for weak. If you manage to help me find him, by one of the new hunters weapons, my brother can die. If you use it on this body."

"How can you be so sure that you would automatically return to your own once your brother was killed?" asked Stefan curiously.

"It is how the spell usually works, but I really don't know that," admitted Elijah, slight annoyance to his tone. "But we cannot allow this chance to pass us by..."

"I'm with Elijah..." stepped in Damon. "We should get Jeremy's stake and then _kill him_..." Damon was absolutely delighted by this turn of events.

"What has happened to Elena?" Bonnie asked, ignoring Damon's vile excitement at this.

"It seems that she is suffering the affects of some sort of compulsion spell. It's like what a new vampire faces when going through the transition for the first time. She is having old memories return to her, ones that she has been compelled to forget, but at the same time more recent memories seem to be blocked... however, she can remember how she feels about certain things, which is making her very confused..."

Bonnie blinked, floored by this information. "Elijah, I should be able to help you switch bodies, but this with Elena... I have no idea what I can do to help... I never heard of any spell like it... but I will look and see what I can come up with..."

"Thank you," said Elijah, standing to his feet. "This way..." He motioned to Bonnie. He was going to keep his word and take her to Elena. "You gentleman, know the way to the front door..."

Stefan stepped in, guiding Damon towards the exit when he attempted to follow Elijah and Bonnie. "What the hell are you doing, Stefan? It's Elena up there... you can't believe she's staying with him willingly..."

"If Elena is with Elijah, it keeps her away from Klaus..."

"Who gives a rats ass what _Elijah/Klaus_ says..." countered Damon. "Who's to say that really is Klaus up there, and he's lying through his teeth to keep Elena and kill off her new wonder boy boyfriend..."

"Bonnie believed him, I don't see why we shouldn't too," replied Stefan softly, understanding Damon's frustration with all of this. "Besides, Bonnie can tell us how everything went, so lets go and let her do her thing..."

"I still can't believe Rick stayed in the car..."

"He saw no reason to come in... he knows this is the only way to help Elena now..."

"Yeah, you have all the answers, don't you, little brother..." sneered Damon. "Just you wait when this is over, Elena will be dead because you decided to trust the wrong vampire, and you'll see that I'm right about this..."

Damon then continued walking ahead of Stefan, saying nothing.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Elijah lead the way to Elena's bedroom and opened the door. Elena stood staring out her bedroom window and turned with a smile upon seeing Bonnie enter the room with Elijah. She through herself into her friends arms, fighting off a fresh wave of tears. "Bonnie, I'm so happy to see you..." gushed Elena.

Both girls were surprised when Elijah said he'd leave them alone to chat. "Is he treating you alright? Why is he keeping you here?" insisted Bonnie after Elijah exited the room.

"I'm fine," admitted Elena rather begrudgingly. "He treats me well... I'm given really good food and really nice things to wear... I get to move around the grounds providing he isn't far away. I get the run of the house. He promised if I listened to him that he'd take really good care of me and he has so far... I think he compelled me once though. But it wore off I think... Why he insists on keeping me here... he thinks that Klaus might try to get me again... also, he says he's worried about my memories. Klaus had some witch mess with our heads... I lost some memories and Elijah... well, he got it a lot worse. He says a witch stole his body or something..." finished Elena, shaking her head.

Bonnie laughed and hugged her again. "I'm so happy you're okay..."

"I really don't think that Elijah will do anything to hurt me..." continued Elena seriously. "I mean, well..."

"Well what, Elena?" asked Bonnie, not liking where this was going.

"Don't tell Stefan, please?" started Elena worriedly, sounding very guilty.

"Tell him what, Elena? What's going on?"

"I... well, I think Elijah has some... well, feelings for me... and we, well, the other night, we sort of ... slept together... I want to tell Stefan, but this really is the wrong time... at least, until I can go home..."

"Elena," began Bonnie, trying not to laugh again. "I think you really need those memories back. You've been with Elijah before... I mean, I think you two have some sort of thing going... at least until Klaus messed everything up..."

"What?" Elena's eyes filled with tears again in disbelief. "But I love Stefan... I would never be with anyone else... at least, not under normal circumstances..."

"Elena, you never really said much about was was going on with you and Elijah, but you did say you slept with him... and I think it was pretty intense... you and Stefan, well, you have been over for awhile now. So don't feel bad about that."

"What do you mean, we're over?" Elena stuttered, getting more and more upset.

"The short version... well, Stefan went all freaky on the blood, left town with Klaus all last summer, and then left you high and dry. He never tried to get in touch with you. When you did finally find him, he completely blew you off and wanted nothing more to do with you. Then you sort of got a thing with Damon, but I'm pretty sure that never went anywhere... it died in it's tracks when you started seeing Mr. Original," chimed Bonnie lastly, sort of enjoying telling Elena how crazy her love life was. It really was something else to bare witness too.

Elena flopped on the near by bed, not being able to stand up anymore. _Damon? _There had always been something undeniable between them, but Elena never really considered Damon in a romantic way. Not really. There was always Stefan. Her world was always Stefan.

And now there were these very complicated feelings for Elijah... but how could she be so attracted to him if she really loved Stefan...

"Do you think that Stefan still loves me?" questioned Elena allowed softly.

Bonnie hated seeing the obvious heartbreak that Elena was still feeling over Stefan. She had seemed so confident before that what was once with Stefan was finally over, and her feelings for Elijah was something worth exploring.

"I think so," Bonnie admitted rather reluctantly. "But Elena, I know you can't remember a lot of things, but what happened with Stefan_ really _hurt you. I wouldn't go there again, if I were you."

Elena blinked, tears threatening to fall again. "Well, that's the problem. I don't remember any of it. All I know is that I miss him, and I really don't know what is going on with Elijah..."

"I'll get things going, Elena," began Bonnie quickly, hating to see her friend so distraught. "But I agree with Elijah that here, with him, is the best place for you right now to be."

Elena nodded bravely, forcing a smile to her face. Elijah really was kind to her, despite all the problems he himself was facing. And she found him to be really attractive. Not based on his current looks that weren't his own, but based upon his manner towards her. He was patient, old worldly towards her, and Elena felt intrigued to no end by it.

They really hadn't touched upon the night that they recently slept together, but he had apologized to her in his way. It was him and it wasn't him, he admitted about that night. His careful control had been completely swept away from him, acting purely on want, on need.

"I know," Elena finally agreed, keeping her conflicting thoughts to herself.

* * *

"Thank you," Elena started nervously, watching him through the doorway to the den downstairs. Elijah was seated at a desk, reading over a book. He looked so serious, but then looked up and half smiled at her.

"For what, Elena?" He asked softly, honestly surprised.

"For the visit with Bonnie... I really needed to talk to a friend..."

"I know that your friends and family are very important to you, Elena. I have no intention of withholding them from you, however, I also cannot allow you to be hurt by something you're not ready for."

"How can talking to Stefan and Damon hurt me?" She countered softly, really trying to understand Elijah's logic.

"Both brothers purely have the best intentions when it comes to you, Elena. I will give them that. However, both would truly do anything in their power to protect you, which sometimes places you at great risk. Especially with Damon. I cannot allow that to happen," Elijah admitted, fully ignoring the truth behind his words. But Elena refused to let him this time.

"Why can't you allow it to happen, Elijah?" She countered, coming closer to him.

"It would be... inappropriate to tell you all of my reasons, Elena. You do not recall the last year..."

"What if I don't?" She replied swiftly. Fear slipping into her voice. "Is it anything important that I should know, Elijah?"

He held her gaze, trying to ignore the sudden pain in his chest. What if she never remembered her choice to let the Salvatore's go? What if, after all of this, she returned to them instead because she really had no memories of falling in love with him? Was it fair to tell her why he really didn't want to let her go?

Elijah sighed, putting the book down, fighting not to look at Elena again. "I don't want to let you go, Elena, until I know you're going to be alright." He regretted the words as soon as they escaped his mouth. She had wanted the truth and he couldn't say it. At least until he knew she would be free of of the spell she was under, or until his brother was finally dead. Whatever came first.

"Oh," She spoke, clearly distraught that he hadn't said something else, but trying to hide it. Perhaps he had been right. Could it be that she still had the same feelings for him despite her memories being taken from her? "Well," Elena continued, fighting a new wave of tears. "Good night, Elijah."

She was then gone, taking whatever was left of his heart with her. It was then that he realized that no matter how much he kept trying to push it away, to protect her from it, he was completely, utterly consumed with love for this girl, no, young woman, who was fighting to find a reason to love him back.

Elijah stood, taking in the view of the night, lost in his thoughts and feelings and regret.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Damon volunteered to search for the Gilbert boy, surprised to find Jeremy in the easiest place to guess that was possible. His family house.

He knocked on the front door, feeling awkward about just barging in. After all, Jeremy was this big ass vampire hunter now. The boy had the ability to kill all vampires, if Esther_ the original witch_ hadn't been stretching the truth.

Surely the kid would hand over his new play toy if it meant ridding the originals from Elena's life, once and for all.

"Hey,_ Jer,_" started Damon, still feeling out of place with Jeremy Gilbert. The kid still looked the same, but there was something in his eyes that was different. He no longer seemed like the awkward teenager that Damon once knew. He looked, confident, powerful.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" He asked like an accusation.

"Hey," Damon chuckled nervously. "Do you know that Klaus snatched your _big sister_ Elena, around the same time that Esther made you into her newest and biggest new _big bad? _Klaus then had some witch cast a spell that switched Elijah and Klaus's bodies and now Elijah is volunteering to die while he's in Klaus's body. Wanna... _take him up on it_? Damon finished hopefully. "Or you can just give me that stake of yours and I'll happily do it for you..." Damon offered with a devilish smile.

Jeremy pulled out a stake from his back pocket and Damon winced noticeably when it looked like Jeremy was ready to stake him instead. "Oh, come on, kid. I'm not the vampire who kidnapped your sister..."

Jeremy then stepped past him. "Lets go," Jeremy said while walking ahead of Damon. Damon followed carefully after Jeremy, refusing to take his eyes off of him.

* * *

Bonnie watched Elijah carefully, studying the face of his brother Klaus. The spell would be broken once they killed this body. Only Bonnie still couldn't promise that Elijah would be alright when this was over. The original agreed to go through with it anyway, shocking Bonnie into admitting to herself that Elijah was doing this to save Elena from his brother. Saving himself would be an added bonus. The original did care about her friend very much, and that made the witch want to help him.

Now only if Damon was able to get Jeremy to come and kill Elijah, everything would hopefully be fine.

Stefan stood with Elena across the room. Elijah had agreed to allow the Salvatore's to interact with Elena for the purpose of breaking this spell and doing what needed to be done. It hadn't been an easy decision for him to make, knowing that Elena wasn't herself around them, and still carried those feelings she had said goodbye too weeks ago. Elena looked to Stefan seeking comfort for what was happening and he took her hand in his. Elena seemed to be very happy to have the young vampire by her side.

Elijah's eyes opened. Although baring his brother's body, the pain was all his own. He didn't need to turn around to see the bond between Elena and her former boyfriend that was still obviously there. Bonnie gasped softly, speechless that Elena had that kind of affect on the original vampire. She could hurt him, wound him deeply, without even realizing what she had done. Bonnie looked away from Elijah, not wanting to meet that pained gaze again.

He was losing the woman he loved and he was very likely powerless to stop it from happening. At least in this body he was.

"Elena, it worked," Bonnie called to Elena and the doppelganger stepped away from Stefan and moved towards Elijah and hugged him to her with a smile to her face.

Maybe Elijah still had a chance with her friend yet. Elijah returned the embrace, taking the chance to smell her hair as it fell in front of his face. "Now, we wait," He said, shooting a cool gaze to Stefan with Elena still in his arms. Stefan stared back, realizing the double meaning behind what Elijah said.

Elena's choice was down to two, and Elijah was going to do everything to make certain it was himself that Elena decided upon. Stefan nodded back. He would also not give up. Not until he had too.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Stefan and Bonnie headed outside to wait for Damon. He was on his way with Jeremy to the Mikaelson house. Elena knew she should feel happy about all of this. Elijah was finally going to be free of the spell that the witch had placed him under, and likely her memories would return as well.

But there was a small chance that none of this would work, and Elijah could die. The thought of him dying was enough to stir a heavy mix of emotions within her. She wanted him to go through with it, and there was a part of her that wanted him to stop because she was afraid of finding out what would happen next if this didn't work.

Elena again found him in the den, still lost in his thoughts it seemed. "He'll be here soon," She spoke quietly, trying to get a read of what he was feeling right now.

He turned around, hesitantly meeting her gaze. His eyes were full of several emotions and she longed to reach out to him, but Elena wasn't certain if that was okay right now.

Elijah had seen her with Stefan. On instinct she had accepted his comfort. He had only held her hand, but she had gained great strength from it. It had felt right to be that close with Stefan.

But whenever she was in the presence of Elijah, something that didn't make any sense felt so wondrously perfect. Their connection was there and it was strong, and it was hard not to give into it.

This man was technically holding her hostage, and apparently their relationship of push and pull hadn't stopped over the last year, but it seemed to only serve to keep drawing them back together.

"What is it, Elena?" He asked when she continued to look speechless, fighting to get what she wanted to say out.

"I... are you sure doing this, is a good thing?" She asked, fear obvious to her tone. "I mean, I know why we are doing this, but I want to know, you'll be okay, right?"

Elijah smiled, seemingly surprised but taking some joy into knowing that he did still matter to her. She was afraid of losing him. "Of course... I trust Bonnie... everything will be fine, Elena." He told her, his voice steady. "Maybe you should return upstairs for awhile... maybe until after this is over..."

Elena nodded, saying nothing. She went upstairs. Not for the fact of being afraid to watch, but she was afraid to watch if Elijah wasn't going to be okay from this. She paused on the stairs, still needing his word.

"Stefan has promised to be there too... he'll ensure that all goes well..."

She nodded again, finally accepting his answer.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The house was falling apart from the inside out. Nick had told her to meet him here via a text message, saying he was in trouble. Trying not to care, Rebekah had ignored her brother for awhile, but then changed her mind.

She still was against him wanting to use the blood of Elena Gilbert to create some trouble-some hybrid family. For years Nick had either clashed with herself or Kol, but especially with Elijah and often on purpose. _Especially_ over those Petrova doppelgangers. Both who had bore the exact appearance of her brothers long lost love, but Elena was more like the original Petrova than Katerina had ever hoped to be.

Katerina had been capable of sincerity, but when faced with anyone who might truly care about her, she ran, hurting many left in her wake. Her brother Elijah had been greatly fooled by Katerina, believing in her innocence and purity, qualities long burned out of her during her human life. Her brother had been a fool to think he could have what he lost again with that wretched girl.

Elena seemed to surprise her brother. She looked exactly like Katerina and Tatia, however, she had real humanity about her. She cared for others above herself. And she somehow had managed to capture her brother, the usually so distant one, making him care again. Feel again. Rebekah had no use for any of the Petrova's, but she honestly hoped that whatever hold this one had over Elijah, did not end up burning her brother in the end like the last one had so severely.

Rebekah jumped, startled, walking into the small kitchen of this shell of a property. Her brother Elijah was seated at a small, broken, round table. While happy to see her older brother, she couldn't imagine why Elijah would trick her into coming here, pretending to be Niklaus.

"Elijah... what is going on?" She quipped, annoyed.

"Get in here, already!" Her brother snapped. Rebekah could only stare at him. Not in her entire life had Elijah ever spoken so harshly towards her. Not even when they had been children. It then hit her. This wasn't entirely Elijah.

"What did you do to Elijah, Nick?" Rebekah hissed, charging towards her brother.

"Always about Elijah..." drawled Klaus sarcastically. "He's bloody fine and is looking to kill me. He has my body because of this blasted spell and because I'm in his, I won't be around for much longer..."

"What do you expect me to do?" Rebekah demanded hotly. "You are always doing things like this...did you not think that something might go wrong someday... and now you've done this to Elijah... he'll not favour your games, Nick, you know that!"

"I need you to get me a new body to jump into..." Klaus then started, standing before his sister, his eyes pleading.

"But what will that do to Elijah, while he's stuck in yours..."

"He'll be fine, he's an immortal, after all..."

"Nick..."

"Just do it, Rebekah... I have to be ready... there's not much time..."

Rebekah sighed, furious, but then was gone in a flash.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Elena felt a great uneasiness as she heard the front door open down stairs to the mansion. Would this be it? Were they going to kill him now? Tears began to spill, leaving her wondering what she was feeling could mean. She knew she didn't want him to die, but it was almost unbearable not knowing what was going to happen to him.

Elena sat on the bed inside her bedroom, willing to wait, willing herself to hope that all of this would be over soon.

* * *

Jeremy Gilbert stepped inside the mansion after Damon Salvatore, with his weapon in his hand. Elijah stood there waiting inside centre of the grand entrance hall. He opened his suit jacket. "Lets get this over with, gentleman. The spell is _cast_..."

Jeremy smiled, and then was on Elijah before anyone else could blink. He struck his chest strait through, hitting the heart dead on. The body of Klaus convulsed for several seconds before turning a deadly grey, and then stopped moving. He was gone, but the body failed to catch on fire. "He should have_ burned_..." murmured Jeremy.

"He is _dead though_, right?" asked Damon hopefully.

"As he's going to get..." beamed Jeremy. He then removed the stake from Klaus's chest, but the body remained still and dead.

Jeremy then turned on Damon. "Hey, that wasn't part of the deal," spat Damon, glaring at the younger Gilbert who now meant to use the weapon on him.

"You're a vampire..." said Jeremy accusingly. "You all _need to die_..."

Stefan stopped upon entering the room and spotting Jeremy. He then looked up towards the staircase leading upstairs. He swore he had heard something. "I think Elena isn't alone upstairs..." He told the others. All three vampires paused before deciding to go see Elena.

* * *

Elena jumped up from the bed after hearing a noise from the adjoining bathroom. "Hello?" She spoke softly before heading purposely into the room.

Elena had just stepped inside the room before strong hands grabbed her from behind, pulling her to them. She cried out before they put a hand over her mouth. "Hello Elena," said the man that reminded her of an older version of Elijah, but with unmasked malice. _Mikael._

Frightened, Elena fought to scream, but everything went black within seconds. But not before she tasted blood upon her lips and the original father then broke her neck.

Her slim form then hit the floor with a brutal slap.

* * *

Elijah awakened to the sounds of his sisters cries. He knew that sound from anywhere. He had heard it when she had been born, again at the age of four when he found her lost in the woods on a full moon, then again at the age of thirteen when a village boy she liked rejected her. Boys had always been taken by his sisters beauty, but greatly intimidated by her self confidence. It had been so uncommon then for a woman to have her own mind as Rebekah did, and still through the centuries. Love had never came easy for Rebekah.

Rebekah ever rarely cried, but the last time he heard those cries was when their youngest brother Henrick died. A pitiful, broken cry of a girl that had already had too hard of a life. Had already lost too much.

"Oh, Elijah," Rebekah wept aloud, brokenly, upon seeing him sit up on the floor. "I thought you were dead too..."

"What..." Elijah began with difficulty. He coughed slightly before forcing himself to stand up. He was a bit dirty but alright it seemed. "What do you mean, sister?" He pressed gently, seeing her upset. Perhaps she knew that Klaus was dead.

"Nick knew what you were up too... he told me to get him another body..." She began pitifully, feeling ashamed of something. "So_ I did_... I always have the habit of listening to _everything_ he says..." Rebekah then continued hatefully.

"Rebekah..._ tell me_..." Elijah then urged her again, trying to keep his patience about him. If he wanted anything out of Rebekah, he needed to remain in control of his temper. She would turn on him faster than he could blink if he didn't.

"He used father... " She confessed. "I tricked him into coming here..."

Elijah looked at his sister appallingly so. "Rebekah..." He whispered, shaking his head. Elijah then sighed, and after a long silence he finally dared asked her his next question. "Where is Niklaus now?" He spoke softly, again patiently, but this time feeling more sorry for Rebekah than he ever had before.

Despite the horrific upbringing of Niklaus, Mikael had been the opposite with Rebekah. He had been kind, loving and devoted as a father to her while she had grew up. He said she reminded him of a young sister his parents had lost many years before. To hear that Rebekah would turn on Mikael like this was surprising. But it also served as a brutal reminder that his family may be together in this life now, but they would never be what they were again. They had all loved each other once and were a peaceful family. Now it was all undone forever.

Rebekah let out a cry before speaking, then looking at her brother shamefully. "Niklaus woke in his own body, then he said he's going to make you all pay by doing what he should have done to begin with. He plans to kill... " Rebekah looked away from Elijah's now plea filled gaze before continuing. "He plans to kill Elena, Elijah. He wants to make her one of us..."

Elijah looked as if he might collapse after hearing the last of his sisters confession. Not only had Klaus managed to save himself, he intended to kill Elena as a punishment to those who crossed him.

"Where?" Elijah spoke after a long silence. He could not hide his grief in his voice. He felt as if he might break at any moment.

"He went to the house, Elijah. We are still at home... just a short distance off..."

Elijah then left towards Klaus's house as fast as he could possibly go. She couldn't be dead. She just couldn't be.

* * *

Stefan was the first to arrive inside of Elena's bathroom, followed by Damon, Bonnie and Alaric who had just arrived to the house with weapons in case things with Klaus had failed to succeed.

They found her laying on the bathroom floor with her neck broken. She was completely lifeless. Stefan gasped in horror and then quickly gathered Elena into his arms to access her. He broke down sobbing upon realizing she wasn't breathing anymore. Blood stained her lips and everyone in the room noticed that, and immediately took guess of what this likely meant.

"No, I'm so sorry," Stefan told her lifeless form. He then kissed her forehead. "Get her on the bed, Stefan," interrupted Damon, putting rein on his own emotions upon seeing that Elena may have died, but she was going to be waking up soon anyway, and she would need everyone to get it together before that happened.

Slowly, Stefan stood, lifting Elena effortlessly, and putting her on her bed in the other room. The others in the room all had horrified looks to their faces. Even Damon. They all knew that Elena never wanted this.

Stefan then stepped away from Elena upon realizing they were no longer a group of five, but another had entered the bedroom. Elijah.

Bonnie was the first to step forward to explain. "Elijah..." She started, her voice breaking. "He... he _killed her."_

Elijah simply stared at Bonnie as if he could not comprehend what she had said. It could not be true, because he couldn't lose her. Even if she decided that after everything they had gone through together, there was no way that she could be with him, it would be something he could accept if he knew that she was going to live, that she was going to be alright.

Not this. Never this.

He moved towards Elena and then sat on the bed beside her when he knew he would no longer be able to stand up. Elijah then reached out, lovingly touching her face. He then gasped upon feeling the skin.

"He made her a..." He said quietly, nearly choking on his words. Elijah looked away from her form as if she had burned him.

"_Vampire_...," said Stefan softly, speechless.

"No," replied Elijah. "She'll be both, if I'm not mistaken... Klaus made Elena... to be like _himself_..." Elijah finished with finality.

"Hybrid..." Stefan whispered in disbelief.

"As she is the doppelganger, her transition will likely be most difficult..." Elijah trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"We'll be there to help her though... _piece of cake_..." Damon said quickly, wanting to believe it.

"Hardly," remarked Elijah.

"So what can we do now?" asked Stefan softly, interrupting the long silence of the room.

"We wait for Elena to wake up," He said. _If she does. _Elijah added silently to himself.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The thoughts of blood filled her dreams. It was a feeling like a tidal wave, but Elena never wanted it to crash. She could almost taste the exquisite blood, so thirsty she was. Her eyes opened to a dim lit room. Her room, within the Mikaelson mansion.

She then remembered what happened before she had blacked out. Mikael had been here and broke her neck, but something about him had made her think of Klaus. Maybe one of the others had given her vampire blood to save her? She then thought wildly. Elena moved to rise from the bed and was hit with a flash of being force fed something thick and dark, and it had a shine to it. It had been a thick red colour, but dark... of course, how couldn't she know. Blood. Mikael had fed her blood.

Then he broke her neck...

Tears welled up inside of Elena's eyes as she processed what it likely all meant. She never heard him coming, but she felt familiar hands on hers, steadying her shaking. Elena looked up and gasped in surprise. It was Stefan.

She fell into his arms and put her head on his shoulder. More than anything she needed someone to comfort her and tell her that things were going to be fine. "Stefan," Elena cried into his shirt. "I'm so happy you're here."

"It's okay," He said, making her smile. It wasn't okay and they both knew it, but it was soothing to have this moment to pretend that it was.

Elena pulled away to see Damon standing in the door way of the room. Immediately she felt guilty for clinging to Stefan. Damon didn't voice it, but she saw the hurt in his eyes. She frowned sadly at him. Stefan rubbed her back before releasing her completely.

"What happened?" She insisted when the brothers continued to say nothing.

"You died," spat Damon, making her blink. She had suspected the worst, but any hope she had just slipped away from her. "Klaus managed to jump into _daddy's originals_ body when he found out we were going to kill him, and for revenge he hit us where it _hurt_... " Damon trailed off uneasily, still hating to think about what happened, although it was the reality they were now faced with.

Elena frowned sadly again, blinking back tears before continuing to speak. "He made me a vampire then..." Even hearing it aloud made her want to cry.

"No," said Stefan, making her look at him, stunned. "Elena, he used your own blood to make you... to make you like himself and Tyler. You're a hybrid."

Elena nearly choked while fighting to remain calm. "I'm a... I'm both? I can't... I can't do this, Stefan..." She pleaded with her former boyfriend.

"I'm so sorry," Stefan said back, at a loss for words.

Damon sighed heavily and stepped into the room. "You should feed, Elena. Want me to get you some blood bags?"

Elena felt completely horrified at the thought now mixed with a lust to taste blood. She had never felt like this before, like literally everything was falling to pieces.

Her biggest decision before was to choose the man she loved and wanted to be with, and now she was going to be a vampire and a werewolf, and her feelings were more of a mess than ever.

With being turned, her memories were now back about the last year of her life. Especially about Elijah... she recalled that first wild kiss he gave her, to the intense sex they had soon after on top of a desk , and then more recently... he'd been under a spell, but it had been intense as it had been amazing. And she remembered how he could make her feel.

Elena blinked and looked to her hands. And recently her feelings for Stefan had returned with the spell. He was kind, loving, caring with her again, and how she had missed that so much for so long. She had wanted him back for so long.

But then Damon happened. As confusing and wild her feelings for Damon had been, she had always been certain she still loved Stefan. Damon had become a fiercely wonderful, devoted friend to her over the last year. And Elena felt that she had been falling pretty hard for him, but then Elijah came out of no where and caught her off guard with how he could make her feel.

As wonderful and lovely and amazing Stefan and Damon were, she remembered really falling hard for Elijah. Her feelings for him could not be compared to what she felt with the Salvatore brothers. They had life all of their own, and her feelings for the Salvatore's now seemed like teenage crushes in comparison.

Elena now knew that whatever happened next, she had to let Stefan and Damon go.

"I want to see..." She began unsteadily. "I want to see Elijah." The firmness to her tone left no room for argument. Stefan looked hurt right away, but there was something in his eyes that recognized what this meant. Elena had finally made her choice, and she wanted to tell him so before completing her transition.

"I'll get him," said Stefan after a long, painful silence. He left, leaving Damon alone with Elena.

Damon watched her for a moment before deciding the best thing to say. He wasn't her choice either, but somehow it didn't hurt as much as he had been expecting it too. He would always love Elena, but they had been friends first, and he would hold onto that for her. It beat the alternative, which meant losing her to Elijah. Damon suspected that his brother felt the same. He too would take what Elena could offer.

"Look, Damon..." She started regretfully.

"No, don't," He said, putting up a hand. "I get it, Elena," Damon continued gently. "But know that you do have other choices if mister original fails to make the cut."

Elena laughed, fighting not to cry. "Thanks Damon," She then said sincerely. "I will always care about you. You're my friend."

The acknowledgement made Damon speechless, catching him off guard. Tears welled up in his eyes, making the vampire blink. "It's okay, Elena," said Damon again, before leaving the room, not looking back.

He couldn't say it, but Elena knew he felt the same way. She smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"Elena's awake," said Stefan, his voice hard. "She wants to see you," He then finished, his voice betraying his emotions. Elijah could see the look upon his face and feared the worst. Was she dying? Did she choose not to finish the transition?

"Alright," Elijah agreed softly, getting up from the chair inside the living room. He went to see Elena without another word to Stefan.

She was laying on the bed, her dark eyes focused on him when he entered the room. "Elena... it is very good to see you awake," Elijah said, taking the opportunity to speak first. He went over to her and sat down beside her when she reached for his hand.

He finally dared to meet her gaze again and Elijah felt breathless by the seriousness in her eyes. It was then that it hit him. This wasn't about her transition. Not really. This was about her and himself. Elena had finally made her choice. It would be Stefan of course. Nothing could come between her loyalty to her first serious love.

Not even himself.

Elijah found himself touching her cheek when it appeared as if she would cry. He would support her decision, despite the pain it brought with it. "It's alright, Elena. Once you feed, everything will be fine for you and Stefan."

"Me and...?" She trailed off, sounding weak. "No," Elena protested, smiling. "There's no me and Stefan, Elijah. There's no me and _Damon, either_. I will always... always care about them both, maybe even_ love_ them both, but I can't be what they want me to be. I'm not a person that can be split down the middle. If I choose one, I hurt the other. I ruin their relationship with my choice. But I know that I couldn't choose either of them anyway. I may love them both, but I think somewhere along the way, I stopped being _in love_ with them. Does that... make sense?" She chuckled. Elena then winced. She was just so tired.

"I think so," Elijah agreed carefully. He remained silent, hoping this was going to continue in his favor.

Elena then pulled both of his hands to her and held them. She then met his eyes after a moment of fighting some inner conflict. "Elijah, I remember... I have my memories about us... about everything... I dreamed about them, but I know they were real. And... I remember how they made me feel..."

Elijah stared at Elena with wide, awestruck eyes. He felt overwhelmed knowing that she remembered. But did it change things for them? "How did it make you feel?" He then whispered softly, fighting to keep his emotions in check. He couldn't push her into anything. He had to hear it from her, if things were going to go further for them.

"Wanted..." She confessed with a blush. "Desired... and I think, it made me feel... so loved... I don't want to lose that, I don't want to lose you, Elijah."

He blinked at her confession in disbelief. Elijah had prepared himself to lose her, but not this, despite wanting it so much. Wanting her... now, she was his, if he would have her. "I don't want to lose you either, Elena. I do not believe I could bare it after this moment..."

Elijah then found himself falling, moving towards her, like a moth to a flame. His lips connected with hers, and he gasped at the feel of her new teeth against his lips. She nipped him, and he chuckled, feeling blood drip into her mouth as she took his mouth. Elena soon gasped in pleasure, overwhelmed by the taste of him. Elena then took the chance to draw him closer, using her new strength, pulling him down to the bed underneath her. She then smiled suggestively, touching his face lovingly, before taking his mouth into a deep, passionate kiss.

Elijah was the first to break the kiss, in awe of this newly determined, beautiful hybrid that wanted him in her bed. A new hybrid, but gloriously still very much the woman he had fallen in love with, and she wanted him. "You should feed first, Elena. You are still very weak, and I'm afraid that a taste of my blood will not complete the transition for you."

Elena chuckled, but her tiredness was obvious. She then slumped against him, but met his lips again before breaking away. "I guess I should take Damon up on that blood bag then."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Elijah stepped out of the bedroom after more kisses and before things went too far. She had little self control and was fighting the urge to seek out blood. Elijah said he'd bring her some, and they could work on the specifics later. Feeding, for starters. What Elena wanted to work on right now, was getting the original into this bed with her.

His touches had been amazing, setting her afire in a way that he only could. She longed for more, she longed to be with him.

The door to the bedroom opened revealing Elijah holding a thick gold rim glass full of thick, dark, rich looking blood that looked something to the affect of wine. She could smell it from across the room, and Elena instantly felt her teeth expose. She grunted slightly as he came closer. Elijah had changed his clothes, wearing a simple blue dress shirt and pants. The shirt wasn't buttoned up all the way, exposing a delicious amount of bronzed skin. She wanted more than nothing to rip apart that shirt, exploring the skin underneath that seemed to sing to her. Clothes never seemed to turn her on more than they did now.

Elijah stopped in front of her, holding the glass. "Take a sip," He offered huskily.

Frowning slightly that she still had to wait, Elena took the cup, sipping while watching him, breathless at the look in his eyes, and their intensity. She closed her eyes, gasping in sweet pleasure at the taste of the blood. She then felt him take the cup from her, and Elena opened her eyes watching Elijah take the cup to his own lips, drinking it, drinking her in with his eyes.

Elijah then put the glass down beside the bed, and started removing his shirt. "That's all I need?" Elena insisted, her eyes dancing despite her pout.

"No," He admitted, chuckling softly, removing the shirt, revealing a slim but muscled form. Elena grinned, happy it was all so close now. Soon, he would be hers. "You'll need more," Elijah admitted softly, cupping her face in his hands, standing above her. He then sat beside her, moving his hands to her neck, then downward. "But first, I want you as you are, and then we'll have more, before I take you again."

Elijah then pulled her close, giving her a passion filled kiss, lowering her to the bed. He then watched her as he began removing her pants, kissing the skin from her hips downward. She moved into his touches on instinct, opening her eyes when feeling him move above her, feeling his skin on hers. He watched her again, locking eyes, before removing her shirt, and then her bra. He then shifted, and Elena gasped again, thinking this was it, and he wouldn't make her wait anymore, but he stopped before moving between her legs.

Her startled eyes met his and she laughed aloud. "What are you _doing_ to me?" Elena teased playfully.

Elijah then responded by nipping her chin, then licking the skin there, making her move forward, wanting to take him in, but he did not move. He only continued to stare, lovingly so. "Elena, I want to be with you, always. Not just now, or a year from now..."

"I want to be with you _always_," She confessed softly, cupping his face with her hands. "I love you," She admitted, then smiling at his surprised expression.

"And I love you," He declared, sounding like a vow to her. They kissed again, slowly, then he released her again, before looking suddenly excited about something. "Marry me, Elena," He then said, surprising her now.

She paused, searching his face, then smiled. "Can we really do that?" Elena then asked with all seriousness.

"I want you to have everything you ever wanted, Elena," He replied softly. "Of course, it would be just for us. I think I have reached past the age where I could do this the modern way," Elijah then said, laughing at the bad joke.

Elena then swallowed hard, in disbelief that he would really do this for her. That he wanted to do this for her and himself too. "Then yes, how could I resist?" She then replied, enjoying the look of happiness upon his handsome face. He then responded by taking her then, long, slow, making her his, not only in mind, but in body.

* * *

They continued to make love for days, and Elijah helped Elena through a very difficult transition, with Elena taking sips of blood, a little at a time, often mixed with a sweet red wine that tasted like honey.

A month into her new life, Elena was finally ready to start learning more about being this new version of herself. Elijah promised to teach her everything he knew about being a vampire, and help her learn about her werewolf side as well.

Being a hybrid, Elena had the choice not to turn into a werewolf. Elijah suggested she avoid turning until she was more adjusted into this new life that Klaus had forced her into.

Finally settled with Elijah into a new home, their home, Elena decided to put her family home up for sale. Elijah had offered to help her keep it up, but Elena felt this was better this way. Plus, being inside the home, knowing that Jeremy was gone, no longer the boy she knew, Elena could never imagine living there without her brother.

Jeremy had vanished after Klaus "died", believing his work was finished. Elijah and the others guessed that Jeremy likely died after completing Esther's task, but Elena didn't want to deal with that yet. He was her brother, her only family, and she wasn't ready to let him go yet.

Elijah had surprised her with a wedding ceremony, just the two of them, deep within the gardens of their new home. They had an old fashioned betrothal ceremony. Elijah said this was often a step that couples took before an actual wedding took place, hundreds of years ago, although legally binding. Elena agreed this was better because a wedding could risk exposing what they were, and they could be husband and wife this way, without having to pretend to be someone else as Elena Gilbert and Elijah Mikaelson were both, for all tense and purposes, dead. It was simply perfect.

Elena took the time, later on, after Elijah and herself stole some time alone, to tell her close friends. Damon had been livid to learn they had married, but had put on a brave face and acted decently. Elena had appreciated him for it beyond words.

For Stefan, it had been more difficult to accept. He confessed he had believed they would have reunited. Elena tearfully tried to explain that she would always care for him, but she fell in love while waiting for something that never seemed like it was ever going to happen. Elena encouraged him to review his own feelings and he'd likely realize that despite claiming to love her still, their relationship had never changed back to what it was once in over a year. Elena gently told him then that she believed it was because that although they still loved each other, they were no longer in love. They had changed too much while apart. Stefan then finally wished her well with Elijah, although it had broke his heart to do so.

Settled in after a long day of hurting two people she cared for, Elena snuggled into her husband's chest, trying to escape from the pain the day left her with. "Are you alright?" He spoke softly into her hair after a brief silence.

"I don't regret anything," She promised him, moving all the more closer. "It just hurts knowing that they both might not forgive me for awhile."

"They'll come around," He murmured, kissing the top of her head.

Elena then suddenly let out a burp, making Elijah chuckle. "What was that?"

"Too much wine with the blood," giggled Elena, before doing it again. She then shot her hand to her mouth before suddenly rushing out of bed, a blur of a blue nightgown hurrying fast into the bathroom. Elijah rose immediately after hearing the sound of the toilet lid being ripped off from the toilet and clanging to the floor. "Elena?" He called softly, after rushing to the bathroom door himself.

Elijah was about to open the door before hearing the sounds of his wife getting sick. He entered the room when he then heard her fall to the floor.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Thank you, little sister," said Klaus, smiling as he placed the dagger into his fathers chest. Back in his own body, they had to take this chance to remove their father as a threat.

"Is that really necessary, Nick?" whispered Rebekah, gazing down at the dying face of their father on the floor. He quickly turned stone grey, making tears well up in her eyes.

"He wants us dead, Rebekah," Klaus reminded her softly. "You know there is no other way. At least this way, he'll not be able to aide mother against us."

"I just wish..." Rebekah trailed off, lost in a wave of sadness and memories.

"One day, perhaps," replied Klaus. "But not with father, or not with our mother. They hate what they made us, and will never rest until we are dead. We can have our family together, but never like it was. Get used to it, little sister."

Rebekah blinked, distraught still, but forced herself to push away those feelings, because they never did any good. "So we can leave then?" She questioned hopefully. "You know that Elijah will not accept you here now."

"Not quite our time to leave yet, Rebekah," beamed Klaus, a secret dancing behind those eyes of his.

"Why the bloody not?" insisted Rebekah hotly. "I'm sick of this place."

"My witch told me some very interesting information about my doppelganger," said Klaus softly. "Not only my changing her worked, but she will be able to continue her blood line. Apparently she is more wolf than vampire, which will serve to makes things here in Mystic Falls, very interesting for me."

"But she is Elijah's mate now," said Rebekah in part disbelief. "He'll never be able to father children with her. He's a vampire."

"No, little sister," said Klaus, loving the confused look upon her face. "Apparently my witches spell left a little something extra with our big brother, there for it's only a matter of time that the Petrova blood line continues."

"What on earth are you bloody going on about, Niklaus?" said Rebekah, still not understanding.

"I'm no longer the only _original hybrid_," answered Klaus.

Rebekah then stared at her brother in horror, finally getting it. "Elijah..." She whispered.

"He's both," said Klaus with a grin to his face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Caroline Forbes couldn't believe it when her mother said that _Elijah Mikaelson_ was on the phone, and that he wanted to speak with her. She hesitated before answering. Not because she didn't want to speak to him, but rather due to the fact that she honestly couldn't recall ever speaking with the original before, ever.

Even when Elijah had married Elena, or rather their _betrothal, _she hadn't even met him then. Elena and Elijah had decided to keep it a secret for well over a month before Elena had told anyone about it. Elena had tried to explain that they simply wanted the chance to enjoy each other, without any interference. After what Klaus had done to them both, they had needed that time together. Elena had said gently.

Also, it wasn't that Caroline hated Elijah. He had somehow always managed to try to look out for Elena, and although their falling for each other had been unexpected, Caroline had truly been happy for Elijah and Elena both.

Elena's relationship with the Salvatore's never seemed to be at the point of where a happy ending was going to happen anytime soon. Stefan had always kept her at a cruel distance since returning, and Damon, although tempting for Elena, would always be her ex's brother. Elena just couldn't bring herself to really go there with Damon, despite her attraction to him.

But with Elijah, it was just Elijah and her. And Caroline believed that was the best thing for Elena. To have a love that wouldn't depend on the reaction of a third person in order to last.

"Hello?" Caroline tried to sound light, but winced when her voice sounded squeaky.

"Caroline, Elena and I were wondering if Miss Bennett and yourself wouldn't mind coming over to the house. Elena..." Elijah's voice broke slightly, struggling to continue. "Elena isn't well, and frankly, I do believe that she needs you both."

"Did the transition not work?" asked Caroline, slight fear to her voice.

"Oh, it worked," agreed Elijah, a slight panic noticeable to his voice now. "But I fear that Elena has a new problem. Please, do come. We can discuss the details when you arrive."

Caroline chuckled, disbelieving this odd conversation with Elijah of all people. "Well, what could be wrong? She's a hybrid, now. She's not pregnant?" said Caroline jokingly.

Dead silence was her answer. It chilled Caroline to the bone. "I'll be there soon," She then said quickly, hanging up.

* * *

Bonnie was the first to visit with Elena. She couldn't get over the difference with her friend. Once glowing like the new bride that she was, Elena was now a deathly pale colour, and she seemed so incredibly weak, almost lifeless.

"Bonnie?" whispered Elena softly. "Is that... is that you?" She said from the bed.

Bonnie forced a smile to her face, trying to make herself forget that although this was still her friend Elena, she was also something more now. A hybrid like Klaus... like Elijah... a force to be reckoned with.

"Bonnie, Elijah... he thinks that I'm dying, but he won't say it..." Elena said lightly, trying to laugh but failing.

"Give me your hand, Elena," Bonnie replied, deciding to ignore the possibility that maybe Elena was actually dying. She had been through so much, and being already supernatural, a doppelganger, perhaps it was too much for her to be this too.

Elena gave her friend her hand, and Bonnie closed her eyes, before opening them in shock.

"What?" Elena insisted, choking slightly.

"Elena," Bonnie began uneasily, trying to sound happy. "I don't know how this is possible, but, you're pregnant."

"_What_?" Elena stared at Bonnie, speechless. "But... that isn't... I know that werewolves can have kids, but I'm not all wolf, neither is Elijah..."

"Yet, you are pregnant," Bonnie replied, then hugged Elena, who was still dumbstruck.

The witch and the hybrid doppelganger then turned, seeing they weren't alone. There stood Elijah, who wore a matching expression of Elena's. He had heard everything.

Elena was going to be a mother, and he himself a father.

But, of what?

**The End**

**I apologize for ending things here at this point, but I feel it fits with the story. Please look for the sequel, The Child Was Hope, which I will start posting within a day or so. Thanks for reading and reviewing. - Sarah**


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